Seat or other articles such as couch



June 25, 1963 J. P.TARASCON 3,095,233

SEAT OR OTHER ARTICLES SUCH AS COUCH Filed Jan. 18, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet1 INVENTOR. L/EAA/ PAUL 7:4EA5COA/ June 25, 1963 J. P. TARASCON SEAT OROTHER ARTICLES SUCH AS coucn 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 18, 1961 Z4 22VINVENTOR.

BY JEAN PAUL TAB/1560M IZMJWMOMW M ATTOEA/EYS nit:

3,fl5,238 Patented June 25., 1953 3,095,238 SEAT R OTIER ARTICLES SUCHAS CQUQH Jean Paul Tarascon, Ave. de la Gare, Gioron Sainte Marie(Basses-Fyrenees), France Filed Jan. 13, 1961, Ser. No. 83,527 9 Claims.(Cl. 297306) Seats or chairs of the type having their backs supported atthe base by torsion bars in order to provide flexibility of the backsare already known in the art.

In these known devices, it has been the practice to use the torsion barsas regulating means for simply and rapidly absorbing the viariations instress caused by movement of the back.

One of the objects of the present invention therefore is to provide anew and improved seat or chair in which the amount of force necessary tomove or flex the back can be easily and simply regulated.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be revealedby the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with thedrawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a seat or chair as characterized by thepresent invention with the seat plate itself being omitted;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line a-a of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional View similar to FIG. 2 showing another embodimentof the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 2 showing yet anotherembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 2 showing still anotherembodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of a chair as characterized by yetanother embodiment of the present invention with portions in deflectedpositions shown in dotted lines.

Referring now to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, there isillustrated a seat or chair having a back 1 fixed upon two uprightmembers 2 which can be of tubular cross section and which are pivotallyattached at their lower ends to a pair of horizontal side members 22about the axis 22 Chair legs 9 are attached to the side members 22 tosupport the structure from the floor. A seat 39 is supported from thehorizontal side members 22 by appropriate means such as the dowels orpins 30, which are positioned at the corners of the seat and areattached to the side members. The seat 39 may also be attached to thechair in the manner shown in FIG. 6 of the drawings and later describedin the specification.

The lower ends of the upright members 2 are connected to a yoke 21 whichis comprised of a member having a central portion in parallel relationto said axis and being bent at right angles at both ends to form legs 21which are attached to the upright members 2 The legs 21 of the yoke 21extend at right angles to the uprights 2 and toward the front of theseat.

A pair of parallel spaced bars 3 and 3 are provided adjacent the frontportion of the seat to form a torsion bar. These bars 3 and 3 extendtransversely from the horizontal side members 22 and are attachedthereto by screws 23 and 23 The main central portion of the yoke 21 andthe parallel bars 3 and 3 are interconnected by lever arms 20. As isbest shown in FIG. 2, the lever arms 20 are formed of a continuous piecebent into a general U-shape, thus providing two substantially parallellegs 2% and Ztib. The central portion of the yoke 21 is positionedbetween the two legs 20a and 2% near the rear thereof and the forwardends of the legs 20a and 20b in order to and below the torsion bars 3and 3 indentations 20 and 20 are formed in the legs 20a and 29b in orderto accommodate the upper and lower edges of the torsion bars 3 and 3 andprevent relative longitudinal movement between the legs 20a and 2% andthe bars 3 and 3 In order to provide the desired flexibility of the backwith respect to the seat framework, the nuts 25 can be loosened and thelever arms 2% can be moved toward each other to the center of the seator away from each other toward the side members 22. When the arms 20 arein the center of the seat, the back will have maximum flexibility sincethe leverage on the torsion bars 3 and 3 is at a maximum and when thelever arms 29 are positioned toward the outer sides of the seat adjacentthe side mem bers 22, the back will have minimum flexibility since theleverage on the torsion bars 3 and 3 is at a minimum; Thus, the amountof flexibility of the back 1 relative to the seat framework can beeasily adjusted to any desired amount by Sliding the lever arms 20inwardly or outwardly and securing them in the desired position bytightening the nuts 25 on the bolts 24.

In operation, when a person using the seat leans backward against theback 1, it is deflected backward pivoting around the axis 22 This actiontends to raise the center portion of the yoke 21 and apply a twist tothe torsion bars 3 and 3 through the lever arms 20. The amount oftwisting on the torsion bars 3 and 3 and consquently the amount ofdeflection of the back 1 for any given force applied to the back can bereadily adjusted by positioning of the lever arms 2% toward or away fromthe center of the seat. When the lever arms 20 are positioned away fromthe center of the seat in their outermost positions adjacent the sidemembers 22, the leverage on the torsion bars 3 and 3 is very small and,hence, the back 1 is no longer readily deflectable when a backward forceis applied thereto by a person leaning back in the seat. When the leverarms 24 are positioned adjacent the center of the seat maximumdeflection of the back 1 will be obtained when a person seated in theseat leans backwards. Between these two extreme positions there are avariety of desired back deflections which can be obtained by adjustingthe position of the lever arms 20- relative to the center or outer edgesof the seat.

The embodiments shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 of the drawings are similar inoperation to the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2 differing slightly inconstruction and placement of the lever arms. In the embodiment of FIG.3, the central portion of the yoke 21 is positioned below and tangent tothe lower leg strap 2% rather than between the legs 20a and 2% as shownin FIG. 2.

In the embodiment of FIG. 4, the lever arm is comprised of two separatelegs 2% and 20.; rather than a continuous piece. The center portion ofthe yoke 21 is positioned between the legs 2% and 20 and the rearwardends of the legs are fastened together by means of the bolt 42. Also,the legs 2% and 20 are fastened together adjacent their middle portionsby means of struts 40 and bolts 41.

In the embodiment of FIG. 5, the lever arms are also constructed of twoseparate legs 20 and 29 The upper leg 21).; is bent downwardly adjacentits rearward end and parallels the lower leg 2% for a distance adjacentthe rearward end thereof. The middle portion of the yoke 21 ispositioned below the lower leg 20;, adjacent its rearward portion ratherthan between the two legs 2% and 20 and these legs are connected attheir mid portions by the struts 4t) and bolt 41.

Another embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 6 where there isillustrated a seat having legs 9 which support side members 22 formingthe frame of the seat. Torsion bars 3 and 3 are attached to the sidemembers 22 in a similar manner to that shown in FIG. 1 and lever arms 20are secured thereto in a manner similar to that shown in FIG. 2. A seatmember 30 is pivotally attached to an axle 31 located adjacent the frontportion of the framework and the rear portion of the seat member 30 issupported on fingers 32 which are attached to the rearward ends of theleverage arms 20. A back 1 may be pivotally connected to the sidemembers 22 and the lever arms in a manner similar to that shown in FIGS.1 and 2. When a person sits on the seat member and leans backwardagainst the back 1, these parts are deflected as is shown in the dottedlines of FIG. 6. The torsional stress caused by the deflection of theseparts is taken by the torsion bars 3 and 3 Again, the amount ofdeflection of the seat member 30 and back 3 can be adjusted for a givenforce by adjusting the position of the lever arms 20 relative to thecenter of the seat as previously described. It is also to be understoodthat it is within the scope of the present invention to provide acombination wherein the seat member 30 and the hack 1 could each beconnected to a separate torsion bar in accordance with the principlespreviously described.

It is to be understood that the above-described embodiment of thisinvention is merely illustrative of the principles thereof and thatnumerous other modifications may be devised by those skilled in the artwhich will fall within the spirit and scope of the principles of thisinvention.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent ofthe United States is:

1. A seat, chair, sofa and the like comprising a pair of side membersadapted to be supported above a floor surface, a back pivotally attachedto said side members about an axis, a yoke attached to said back andhaving a portion spaced from and inparallel relation to said axis, atorsion bar rigidly attached to said side members and spaced from and inparallel relation to said axis, and a lever arm rigidly attachedadjacent one end thereof to said torsion bar with the other end thereofpositioned to contact said portion of said yoke so as to transmit atorsional stress to said torsion bar when said back is rotated aroundsaid axis.

2. A seat, chair, sofa and the like comprising a pair of side membersadapted to be supported above a floorsuraface, a back pivotally attachedto said side members.

about an axis adjacent the rearward end of said side members, a seatpivotally attached to said side member abouta second axis adjacent theforward end of said side members and parallel to said-first axis, atorsion bar rigidly attached to said side members spaced from andparallel to said first axis, a yoke attached to said back and having aportion spaced from and parallel to said first axis,

and a lever arm rigidly attached adjacent one end thereof to saidtorsion bar with the other end thereof positioned,

to lie adjacent to and contact said portion of said yoke and tosaid-seat so as to transmit a torsional stress to said torsion bar whensaid back and/or said seat are rotated around their respective axes.

' 3. A seat, chair, sofa or the like comprising a pair of 4. parallelspaced generally horizontal side members adapted to be supported above afloor surface, a back having a pair of parallel downwardly extendingstruts, said struts having.

their lower ends pivotally attached to said side members about a commonaxis positioned transversely of and adjacent the rearward end of saidside members, a yoke having its ends attached to said struts adjacenttheir lower ends and having center portions spaced from and parallel tosaid axis, a torsion bar having its ends attached to said side members,said torsion bar spaced forward of and parallel to said axis and saidcenter portion of said yoke, and at least one lever arm having itsforward end adjustably attached to said torsion bar intermediate itsends, said lever arm extending rearwardly and connected to said centerportion of said yoke so as to transmit a torsional stress to saidtorsion bar whensaid back is rotated around said axis.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said torsion bar is comprisedof a pair of parallel bars spaced apart from each other one beingforward of the other and wherein a pair of lever arms are provided, eachof said lever arms comprising an upper andlower leg, said legs beingpositioned above and below said parallel bars and defining indentationsadjacent the forward ends of said legs for receiving said bars, andclamping means for securing the forward ends of said legs to said barsin various positions along the longitudinal length of said bars.

5 Apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein saidcenter portionof said yokeis positioned between said legs of said lever arms. Y

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said center portion of saidyoke is positioned to lie below the lower of said legs and in contacttherewith.

7. Apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said legs of said lever armsare joined together adjacent their rearward ends by clamping means.

8. Apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said legs of said lever armsare joined together at their rearward ends by an integral continuousweb.

9. Apparatus defined in claim 4 wherein said upper and lower legs ofsaid lever arms are additionally joined together intermediate theseends.

References Cited in the file of this patent

1. A SEAT, CHAIR, SOFA AND THE LIKE COMPRISING A PAIR OF SIDE MEMBERSADAPTED TO BE SUPPORTED ABOVE A FLOOR SURFACE, A BACK PIVOTALLY ATTACHEDTO SAID SIDE MEMBERS ABOUT AN AXIS, A YOKE ATTACHED TO SAID BACK ANDHAVING A PORTION SPACED FROM AND IN PARALLEL RELATION TO SAID AXIS, ATORSION BAR RIGIDLY ATTACHED TO SAID SIDE MEMBERS AND SPACED FROM AND INPARALLEL RELATION TO SAID AXIS, AND A LEVER ARM RIGIDLY ATTACHEDADJACENT ONE END THEREOF TO SAID TORSION BAR WITH THE OTHER END THEREOFPOSITIONED TO CONTACT SAID PORTION OF SAID YOKE SO AS TO TRANSMIT ATORSIONAL STRESS TO SAID TORSION BAR WHEN SAID BACK IS ROTATED AROUNDSAID AXIS.